Brake mechanism.



I No. 842,248.

I PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907. AFP. ROCKWELL. BRAKE MECHANISM. I

' APPLICATION FILED 00T.30,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fllbert Eliot/(well.

1N VEN TOR.

11 ORNE Y.

. EATENTED JAN, 29,1907. A. F. ROCKWELL. BRAKE MECHANISM. APPLIG AT ION FILED 0OT. S0. 1905.

m h l r illl.

flzberf Flies/(well,

' INVENTOR ATTORNEY. I

UNITED STATES PAT NT oFFrcE ALBERT F. ROCKWELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEPARTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT;

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

- BRAKE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fatented Jan. 29,1907.

Application filed October 30, 1905; Serial No. 285,210.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. ROCKWELL, a citizen or the United States, residing at Bristol, county otIlartford, State of (on-. nectieut, have invented a certain no and useful Brake Mechanism, of which the lollowing 1s a lull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication. I

This invention relates to means for retarding the movement of a niovable'part and f or gradually preventing movement of the movable part under certain conditions.

In order to illustrate the application of the invention, I have shown it as applied to a driven shaft or axle. However, I do not limit niyselt'to the exact organization of elements herein shown and described, as itis obvious that many forms of'- adjustment may. be employed without departing from the spirit of-the invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of myin-vention as applied parts being shown in section. Fig/,Q is ascctional view on the line. ."c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa viewin'plan of Y 'Fig. i i-sectional,viewthrough a gear to' whichthe invention is appli'eel, andIFig. 5' is a fragmentary sectional .view through the f brakemechanisni'to illustratethe relative j nientary'pai -ts.* v In oarryi g out my-inventio'nl preferably a lslightly mddified formof the invention.

position a of .the abutment and. its compleemjfloya resilient ring-having afn'zitural expansivefitendency. A'convenient form "of ringis illustrated in Fig. has a split ring and y designated' yby; the referenc'e numeral,

The rin vmay consist ofa single piece, or it; ,rna'y-be aminated, andin the form shown I11 Ihaveillustratedthe-ringas'including .a plurality of inwardly-disposed projections- Q'havinQofiisets or shoulders ii therein,whichI offsets or, shoulders are spaced suitable d'isy, 't'ances from-thering. Concentric with the ring ie-illustrated *a shaft 4, to which shaft-i cylinder 18, having" an inlet-openlag 19,

-- deviceis'fcapable of exerting a 'brak ing force the r'otatable elementirrespective yed 'a cup-shaped gear 5, comprising the fi with the peripheralfiangeitheriam} wlfloh peripherallfiangeis. rovidedtwithput tion as to cause the connectingdevices 10, to

adjacent gear or drive a sprocket-chain, according to the purpose for which it isto be used. Loose on the shat t a is a collar or hub 9, carrying a lurality of radial connecting devices, whereby the hub 9 and the ring 1 will be connected, In Fig. 1 the connecting devices are illustrated as arms 10, which are rigid on the hub or collar 9; and each of these arms carries a cam 11, the respective cams being adapted to engage the shoulders 3 on the projections 2.

12 designates a rigid abutment which is interposed. between the respectivev ends 1-3- and 14 of the ring 1. It will be'observedthat the ring 1 is confined within the flange 7 of the gear 5 and that if the ring frictionally engages the flange 7 of the goar 5 the rotation of the gear will be retarded unless the ring is permitted to rotate. In View of the fact that the ringihas a natural'tendency to expand it will be necessary to contract it to pernii tthe gear torotate with the shaft 4, and a convenient way of contractingthe ring 1 is toprovide an arm 15 rigid on the collarQ, to which arm'niaybe secured apiston-stem 16, connected to the piston 17 inthe'fluid- 8o whereby .fluidn ay be admitted into the c'y l' inder to exert pressure against one' face of iv the piston-17 in the'nianner COIIImOIIVIth such devices. As illustrated and connected i to the collar 9, the-rim would be incapable 8;

, of exerting an efificlent rakingforce against the rotatable element (viz; thegear.) unless I some 'means' wasprovided for POSIiElV'QlY lm'iiting rotation ofthe ring. v I In ord'r to lilill the'rotative movement otgo tl1e IiIlg, -I 'li9iYeprovided a rigid abutment 12 interposed'between the ends 13 and 14 of the. ring, so that irrespective of the direction of rotation'oneof the endsiwill butt against I: the abutment and-furtherrotation' will be" i t V 9s prevented: gf'It is. to beunderstood 'that'zthis I d'lirectio' nzof rotation. Forexainple, i into provide a brake winter; exerting fa braking force irre'spec .whetlierthe gear 'is driven forwardly w wardlyy. It will be assumedtha'tj rn-ially" a fluid-pressureis exerted against'..-th e}pi,'ston;

ride their cams upon the shoulders of the inwardly-disposml projections 2, so as to cause the ring to contrast. In this position the gear will be. free to rotate in either direction without being hindered in any way by the ring. If it is desired to retard the movement of the gear, the pressure will be relieved from the cylinder, so that the normal expansive tendency of the ring will permit the shoulders 3 to ride oil the cams on the arms 10, so that the ring will. bind or effectually engage with the under face of the flange 7 of the gear 5. This binding or effectual engage m-ent will permit the ring to be carried with the gear until one end (either 13 or 14) of the ring strikes against the abutment 12. The natural tendency of the ring to expand, to-

- gether with the effectual engagement of the references to the drawings it will be observed. "that it'matters not in wlnth direction the tarded.

gear'is rotated, the effect will be practically the same in Figs. 3 to 4 l have illustrated the ring 1 as having an inwardly-disposetl projection 2, provided with sockets 3 The collar 9 is provided with sockets or recesses for the reception of the heads 9 of the connecting devires, (illustrated as links 10%) Heads 9 engage the recesses 3 in the projections 2 In the form illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 the abutment 12 is carried by the rigid plate 12, which may be attached to some rigid part of the vehi le, so as to hold the abutment 12 always in the same relative position. In this latter form I have provided means for regulating the braking e'llicienry of the ring, so that the degree of resistance to the rotation of the gear by the band may be under control of the operator. A simple form of accomplishing this is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 as intluding the lever 20, fulcrumed at 21 and connected to the piston-rod below its fulcrum-point. This lever 20 may be operated in any convenient manner. under the control of the operator the ring (through the medium of the arm and hub and the connecting devices) may be governed so pansive force of the ring may be controlled soas to partially frictionally engage the rotatable device in such a manner that the rotatable device will be permitted to rotate, the ring offering resistance to itsrotation sufli- By being cicntly to cause it to slow down without absolutely stopping the gear; but by permitting the ring to exert its entire expansive force against the gear, the latter Will be caused to moving the arm 15 to release position through the medium of the piston and its stem.

From the foregoing description it Will be apparent that an efficient resistance will be applied to the rotatable part When the braking element is applied irrespective of the direction' of rotation of the rotatable element. The feature of this invention, which contributes largely to the result to be obtained, is the manner of arranging the band, so that if the rotatable element is rotating in one direction and the band is expanded said rotatable element will be engaged by said band and carry it a slight part of a rotation until one end of the band abuts against the abutment 12. The continued rotation of the rotatable element will have a tendency to assist in the expansion of the braking element, so as to assist in causing the braking element to be effective. If the rotatable element is rotating in an opposite direction, the other end of the ring or braking element will contact with the abutment, leaving the previously-contacted end of the braking element free. In the latter case the tendency of the band to expand Will be the same, and this expansion will in a measure be augmented by the continued rotation of the rotatable element so as to cause the ring to become effective irrespective of the direction of rotation of the rotatable element. In other Words, the direction of rotation of the rotatable element is immaterial in so far as the effectiveness of the braking element is concerned. In either event, Whether the rotatable element is moving in a forward. direction or a rearward direction, the same condition will existto Wit, the braking element will be caused to expand in the direction of rotation of. the rotatable element" and in each instance it will have a relatively fixed portion'and a relatively free portion. Hence it will be seen that the braking force may be as effectively exerted against the rotatable element in one direction as in the other.

' What I cla1m1s 1. In a device of the class described, the combination'with a rotatable part, ofa braking element having an inherent expansive tendencyto engage the rotatable part. and

means for normally retracting the expansive element away from the rotatable part.

and means connected to said hub and said' ring for normally retracting said ring away from the flange on the gear which isadapted to engage.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a gear having a circumferentialjfiange, of a shaft for supporting said gear, a hub on said shaft, an expansive ring within the flange, connections between hub and ring and means for partially rotating said hub bn said shaft.

5. Ina-de'vice of the class described, thev combination with arotative element having a circumferential -flange, of an expansivering within the flange and having a split or-' tionproviding two spaced ends, a-rigid a utmentbetween the spaced ends'of the ring,

and means for normally'retracting. said ring.

6. The combination \with a movable element adapted to be braked, of a brake element which itself .acts as a brake and has inherent in itself the ten'den cy to move, into.

braking position, and means for-holdingsaid brake element in retracted ositiOnQ 7. The combination wit a movable1ele t or a braking Telement therefor hic itself-facts as ajbrake and has inherent in, itself the tendenc tomove. into braking position," oneof sai elements lying about the other thereof, and means for'holding' said brake element in retracted position.

8. The combination with a movable element, of a brake element therefor which itself acts as a'bra'ke and has inherent in itself the tendency. to move into braking position', one of said elementsly-ing about the other, means for limiting the movement of i f the brake. element in either-of two directions,

and means for holding. said brake element in retractedv position;

"9. The combination with --a ro'tative element having a braking-face, of an expansive I ring for engaging said braking-face and-haw ingja split portion p'roviding'spaced end's,,an'

abutment between the spaced-.ends of' the ring, ring.

and means for normallyretracting said --l0. In a device of the cl-ass'described, the combination with a rotatable element having abrakingeface, ofan expansive ring forJzontacting with the braking-face to retard'the.

movement of the rotatable element in either of two directions, and means-for normally retracting the expansive ring.

11. In a device of thelclass described, the combination with a rotatable element having a braking-face,'. of an expansive ring for conmeans for controlling the resistance offered by the ring to the braking-face when the ring is released by the retracting means.

ment adapted to be braked,-'of a brake element which itself acts as-abrake and has in herent in itself the tendency" to move into braking position,- means for holding said e1e ment in retracted osition, and means for' controlling the app ication of 'the brake element while it is applied.) l

13. The combination with amovable elementadapted to be braked, of abrake element which itself acts as a brake and has inherent in itself thetendenc -tomove into braking position, and a fluid-controlled tacting with the braking-face,- means for normally retracting the expansive ring, and

12. The combination with a movableele- -means for holding said brake element'inretracted position. v

14, In a device of the class described, the combination with a rotatable element having a braking-face, of a shaft for su porting said rotatable element, a hub .on'sai shaft, an expansive ring, and means connected tO thesaid hub and said ring for normally retracting said ring away from the brakin -fa'c e on the rotatable. element which it is afapted toengage. f a f I 15. In-a device of the class described, the

combination witha rotatable element having a braking face 'of a shaft for s11 porting sai rotatable element, a hub on'sai shaft, an exansivering, and means carried by the hub or retractin said'ring away from the brak ing-face on t e rotatable element which it is adapted to engage.

16. Ina device of the class described,"the comb nation with a rotatable element havin' a braking-face, of ahub concentric with said rotatable element and having movement in; dependent thereof, a ring forcontact with the braking-face on the rotatable element,

too

and means carriedby the hub and having movement to -retr-actltheiring from engagement with the braking-face or permititto engage said braking-face to braketthe rotam'ovement. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

v ALBERT F. ROCKWELL.

x'-Witnesses:

JosEPH D.--BROWN,'

- OL'ARA H VooRnEEs.

'I [5 table element in either of two directions of 

